I sent the following to my House Representative and both Senators:
Dear Representative Huizenga,
The Trump administration has ordered legal service providers, including the Michigan Immigrant Rights Center (MIRC), to halt work on the Office of Refugee Resettlement’s unaccompanied child legal services program. This cruel directive immediately cuts off legal assistance for 800 immigrant children in Michigan and puts 26,000 children nationwide at risk of facing immigration court alone.
Without legal representation, vulnerable children—some as young as three years old—will struggle to navigate a complex immigration system, making them more susceptible to trafficking, exploitation, and deportation to dangerous situations. Legal aid has been essential in reuniting families, protecting child survivors of abuse and trafficking, and ensuring due process.
This stop work order violates legal protections like the Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act (TVPRA) and undermines our nation’s commitment to safeguarding vulnerable children. MIRC’s ability to serve its young clients is now severely limited, with 80% of its staff affected.
Please act immediately to restore this funding and ask the Trump administration to rescind its directive.
Sincerely,
Rev. Kenneth Arthur
I’m not exactly sure the following response corresponds to the above letter, but it’s seems like the best fit. I wish my so-called representative would actually address the issues rather than just regurgitate Republican speaking points.
Dear Mr. Arthur,
Thank you for contacting me regarding President Trump’s recent executive orders on immigration and border security. I always appreciate hearing from constituents and welcome this opportunity to respond.
The Trump Administration is currently executing a targeted enforcement strategy that prioritizes expelling violent criminals who are here illegally. During its first two weeks, 97% of the illegal individuals removed from the United States had their deportation orders issued by the Biden Administration.
President Trump has made securing our southern border a priority. The President has declared a national emergency at the Southern Border, restarted construction of the wall, reinstated the “Remain in Mexico” policy, ended “catch & release”, and designated the cartels as Foreign Terrorist Organizations all in an effort to restore border integrity.
Additionally, the Republican-led Congress has been working in a bipartisan way in support of addressing illegal immigration. In January, the House and Senate passed the Laken Riley Act, which authorizes the removal of individuals who have committed theft while they were in the United States illegally. President Trump’s signed this bipartisan bill into law on January 29th.
The House also recently passed H.R. 30, the Preventing Violence Against Women by Illegal Aliens Act, with bipartisan support. This bill would create explicit grounds of removability for illegal immigrants who commit a sex offense as defined by the Adam Walsh Child Protection and Safety Act of 2006. It also states that committing such an offense would make an individual inadmissible to the United States.
Our nation has a rich history of immigration, especially in Southwest Michigan. This can and should continue, but it must be done through the proper legal channels. By restoring ICE’s ability to enforce the law President Trump has taken the appropriate action to defend our communities and protect American citizens.
Again, I appreciate you contacting me, and please do not hesitate to do so in the future.
Sincerely,
Bill Huizenga
Member of Congress